moller



-(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1..

W. MOLLER.

- FURNACE FOR DESULPHURIZING ORB.

No. 243,943. g; Pat'ente' uly 1881 3 SheetsShee t 2. W. MULLER,

SULPHURIZING ORE.

Patented July 5, 1881.

. m Wm M i M m mi 'NITED STATES PATENT OFFIC.

FURNACE FOR DESULPHURIZING ORE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,943, dated July 5, 1881,

Application filed December 31, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM MoLLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New- York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Furnaces for Desulphurizing Ore, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of metallurgic furnaces for desulphurizing ores in which the ore is placed in a heated retort and currents of heated air passed through the retort in contact with the ore.

The invention consists in the combination, with a retort inclosed by a surrounding brickwalland projecting at its front end over the fire-chamber, by which the retort is heated exteriorly, of horizontal air-fines communicating with the external atmosphere at the rear wall of the furnace, and extending on opposite sides of the retort to near the front wall of the furnace, along the sides of the fire-chamber, said air-fines thence returning rearwardly to or near the rear end of the inclosed retort and opening into vertical channels which communicate with the interior of the retort at its rear end, as will be fully hereinafter described in detail, whereby the retort is highly heated by the products of combustion from thefire-chamher, which circulate freely around the exterior of the retort, and at the same time the external atmosphere entering the horizontal air-fines at the rear wall of the furnace is carried forward along the retort and a portion of the side walls of the fire-chamber, and is thence returned rearwardly and dischargedin a highly-heated condition into the retort at its rear end, thereby promoting combustion of the sulphur, phosphorus, arsenic, and other like impurities contained in the ore without permitting the smoke or products of combustion to come in direct contact with the ore.

.This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l represents a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section in the plane a: w, Figs. 1, 3, and 6. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in the plane 3 3 Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar section in the plane z 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section in the plane :12 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section in the plane 3 y, Fig. 2.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

(No model.)

furnace-wall, which incloses and supports the retort or retorts B B. O O" are the fireplaces, and I) is the smoke-stack.

The retorts are constructed of fire-clay or any other suitable material, and they rest upon tiles a a b, which are situated beneath the central parts of the retorts, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The tiles to a are placed at certain distances apart, and the spaces 0 c, which are formed beneath the retorts, communicate one with each of the fire-places O O. The retorts B B are open at their front ends and closed at their rear ends, and from each of the spaces, 0 or 0, extends a flue, (Z or d, up at the rear end of the corresponding retort, as shown in Fig. 2. On the top of each retort is placed a row of tiles, 6 6, Figs. 2 and 3, which support the brick wall above, and'which leave open spaces ff, which communicate at their rear ends with the upright fines d d and at their front ends with a flue,g or extending to the smokestack D, Fig. 2. By these means the heated products of combustion which escape from the fire-places circulate through the spaces e c, flues d d, and spaces ff around the retorts, and they escape through the smoke-stack without being permitted to enter into the retorts.

With each of the retorts B B are combined two air-fines, h h. These air-flues communi cate with the open air atthe rear wall of the furnace, (see Figs. 2 and 4,)and thence they extend forward nearly to the front wall, and then backward to the rear ends of the retorts, and then up through vertical channels h h*, which communicate with the retorts near their rear ends through openings i i, the course of 9 5 IOO to promote the oxidation of sulphur, phosphorus, arsenic, and otherlike impurities which are or may be mixed with the ore contained in ,the retorts, said retorts, together with their contents, being heated up to a high degree by the products of combustion circulating round them through the fines c c, d d,ff. The front ends of the retorts B B open into the upright flues g g, which lead into the smokestack, so that gases formed in the retorts pass off, together with the products of combustion. On the top of the furnace-wall A is placed a flat open pan, F, for the purpose of heating the ore before it is introduced into the retorts. This pan is provided in its front end with openingsjj, which can be opened and closed by suitable gates, k k, Figs. 2 and 5. The openings jj communicatewith the upright flues g g, which lead down into the retorts B B. By opening the gates is k the ore from the pan F can be readily dumped into the retorts, and it is pushed back and spread evenly on the bottoms of said rctorts by suitable rakes, which are introduced through openings 1 1, Figs. 1,

2, and 6, which are provided with doors on m, so that they can be opened and closed as may be required.

Access can be had to the fire-places through openings n 0, Figs. 1 and 2, which are closed by suitable doors. Those portions of the furnace-wall which are exposed to the direct action of the heated products of combustion are made of fire-clay or fire-bricks, the same as the retorts.

The principal advantage derived from the construction of my furnace is due to the fact that the heated products of combustion which rise from the lire-places are not permitted to come in direct contact with the ore in the retorts, while at the same time currents of highly-h'eated air are caused to pass through the retorts.

Heretofore a desulphurizing apparatus has been constructed of a furnace, a cylindrical retort arranged within the furnace and containing a spiral blade for conveying the ore through the retort, and a pipe coiled around the retort within the furnace, and from which a blast of hot air is forced into and through the said retort; but such structure does not constitute my invention.

Ovens have also been constructed of brickwork, with fiues extending through the brickwork around the oven-chamber, and connecting the latter with the furnaceybut neither does such structure constitute my invention.

I do not claim as my invention the process of treating orein a heated retort or muffle to which cold air is admitted.

"What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a metallurgic furnace, the retort B, inclosed by the surrounding brick wall A, with its forward end projecting over the fire-chamber and communicating with the smoke-stack, in combination with the horizontal air-flues h h communicating with the external atmos phere at the rear wall of the furnace and extending through the brick wall on opposite sides of the retort to near the front wall of the furnace, along the sides of the fire-chamber, and thence returning rearwardly an dopening into vertical channels which communicate with the interior of the retort at its rear portion, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whercofI have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM MOLLE R. 

